Miss Blyden Miss Blyden , one of the early Christmas drinks, is made from the fruit of the Prickly Pear
The Prickly Pear (Opuntia Vulgaris) originated in Mexico, where
it was first farmed for food and medicine some 5,000 years ago.
The indigenous Indians still fry or boil the flat stems and use
them as vegetables. By the time the Spaniards arrived in Mexico,
the Prickly Pear was well established in traditional medicine there.
During the 17th century the Spaniards took the Prickly Pear and its uses over to Europe.
It is now grown in hot, dry areas in Italy, France and Spain, where it is held in high
esteem. In Africa it is planted to discourage lions. The fruits are eaten and the stems of
spineless types are used in soap making.
Recent research at the University of Lyon in France shows that when eaten, there is a
reduction in the levels of glucose and insulin in the blood as well as a lowering of levels
of cholesterol and body weight in obese and diabetic patients.
In the Virgin Islands, the fleshy stem has been put to many uses: washing hair, eye bath,
to treat high blood pressure, as a poultice for insect bites, backache and inflammation of
the abdomen. A heated pad of the stem placed on the soles of the feet with a cold cloth
on the head, eases tension immediately.
The Inkberry Christmas Tree Before the advent of importing the Christmas tree from
North America to the Virgin Islands, up to the 1950s
folks .turned to their own environment for Christmas decora-
tions.
The Inkberry Tree, also known as the „Fishing Rod‟ tree was
popularly used as the Christmas tree in these islands. Cutting
the tree was great fun. One or two members of the household
would have „eyed‟ a particular tree in the nearby hillside,
several weeks before it was ready for cutting. It had to be
the right height for the front room, and the number of
branches on which to hang the decorations of tissue and
November/December 2010 Volume 4, Nos 11 & 12
Inside This Issue
Our Traditional Christmas Symbols....….page 1 Local Author, Andria Flax……………..……..page2 Christmas Symbols Cont’d……....………...page 3 Cayman Ministry Breaks FOI Law……......page 4 ECM + e-gov = Power! ….……………..…...page 4 Winners of volunteering project …..…...page 4 UK Gov Web Archives…..……………….…...page 4 Archives and Records Management Legisla-tion Highlights………….…….…………………..page 5
Awardees in the Deputy Governor History Research
Programme 2010
Will to be announced during this month!
The theme is : Researching and Writing Biographies
Launched in 2007, the objective of the History Research Programme is to encourage and
promote local history research and to acknowledge the efforts of Virgin Islands resi-
dents.who participate in the Programme
Look out for the 2011 theme and become involved in this worthwhile
project!!
Welcome to our final issue for 2010! There has been a
lot going on here at the Archives and Records Manage-
ment Department over the past year and as we look
forward to 2011, We‟d like to share with you some timeless icons of Virgin Islands cul-
ture with which many of our more senior community members will identify more readily.
Now, while there are some younger members of our community who may need a Ghost of
Christmas Past experience to fully appreciate why these symbols have such significance to
Virgin Islands heritage, we believe that some simple explanations of the symbols and their
significance should suffice.
We will concentrate on five symbols: (1) The Guavaberry Liqueur (2) Miss Blyden
(3) The Inkberry Christmas tree (4) The Century Plant Christmas Tree and (5) Serenad-
ing.
The Guavaberry Liqueur
The Liqueur is made from berries of the Guavaberry plant
THE Guavaberry plant is in the same family as the Guava, grows to about 55 feet and has
small conical leaves. The fruit, which grows in bunches, ripens in hues of black and yel-
low, usually in the autumn (September-October). It is a small pulpy fruit which carries a
strong aroma. The plant thrives best amongst dense growth in or near guts.
It is legend that while overhauling their estates one day after the September rains, two 18th
Century planters were attracted by a pungent aroma. They followed the scent and found
that some berries steeped in their dislocated pulp, had collected in the crevice of a rock. It
is said that when they tasted the liquid they fell on their knees, turned their eyes heaven-
wards, made the sign of the cross and blessed the spot! They thought that they had found a
winery and therefore the secret had to be guarded.
However, months later, while passing through one of the villages,
the planters were again attracted by the same aroma. The villagers
were preparing for the festive Christmas Season. „Want some guava-
berry, Sar? One of them asked the taken aback planters.
In the days when a „zinc pan full‟ of berries (about three gallons) was
sold for seventy-five cents, stewed guavaberry, a preserve used for
filling pies, was quite popular. Nowadays, the fruit is almost exclu-
sively used for the drink. Each family concocts the best recipe and
serves the brew at Christmas time.
Our Traditional Christmas Symbols
Christmas Gift Suggestions and Quotations
ARM News, Volume 4, Nos 11 & 12
‚To your enemy, forgiveness; to an opponent, tolerance; to a friend, your heart,
to a customer, service; to all, charity; to every child, a good example; to yourself,
respect.‛ Oren Arnold
I sometimes think we expect too much of Christmas Day; we try to crowd into it
the long arrears of kindliness and humanity of the whole year. As for me, I like
to take my Christmas a little at a time, all through the year. And thus I drift
along the holidays—let them overtake me unexpectedly—waking up some fine
morning and suddenly saying to myself: why this is Christmas!‛ Ray Stannard
Baker, pseudo. David Grayson (1870-1946), Author, journalist
‘’Blessed in the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love.‛
Hamilton Wright Mabie (1845-1916), Author, essayist and critic
‚Make Christmas the keeping-place for memories of innocence< and then share
them with others,‛ Adapted from Joan Mills.
‚I truly believe that if we keep telling the Christmas story, singing the Christ-
mas songs and living the Christmas spirit, we can bring joy and happiness and
peace to this world.‛ Norman Vincent Peale, (1898-1993) Protestant religious
leader, author
‚Mankind is a great, an immense family< this is proved by what we feel in our
hearts at Christmas.‛ Pope John XXIII
‚Christmas—that magic blanket that wraps itself about us, that something so
intangible that it is like a fragrance. It may weave a spell of nostalgia. Christmas
may be a day of feasting, or of prayer, but always it will be a day of remem-
brance—a day in which we think of everything we have ever loved.‛ Augusta E.
Rundell
‚Christmas is doing a little something extra for someone.‛ Charles Schulz
(1922-2000) Cartoonist ‘Peanuts’
‘’As long as we know in our hearts what Christmas ought to be, Christmas is.’’
Eric Sevareid (1912-1992), Newscaster
‚Christmas renews our youth by stirring our wonder. The capacity for wonder
has been called our most pregnant human faculty, for in it are born our art, our
science, our religion’’
Ralph Sockman (1889-1970), Religious leader
‚Christmas is a day of meaning and traditions, a special day spent in the warm
circle of family and friends‛. Margaret Thatcher (1925- )Political leader
“Snapshots of the Past”:
Own a piece of local history. Get your auto-
graphed copy at the special holiday price of $20 until December 31.
Supplies are limited.
Nicknamed ‘Papel’ (the
Spanish word for paper)
by her father, the late
George Norman, from her childhood
days, Andria Flax is never without at
least a piece of paper and a pencil to
easily jot down something worth re-
membering. Andria, born in Road
Town, Tortola, has been writing poetry
for ‘donkey years’, although she took a
lengthy hiatus to dedicate quality time
to her family. Encouraged by her min-
ister, Fr. Ronald Branche of the St.
George’s Episcopal (Anglican) Church
and several other individuals within
the territory, she has been reciting her
pieces during church services and
concerts for many years, yet she baulked every time the idea was put to
her to publish her anthology.
After receiving a telephone call recommending that she visit an exhibi-
tion of old pictures hosted by the Archives Unit of the BVI Government
on the last day it was held in April, 2009, Andria (called Andy by her
friends) was filled with emotion when she viewed for the first time, a
set of picture of her maternal grandparents and other family members,
most of them of blessed memories. The pictures, taken in the 1950’s by
international photographer, Fritz Henle, depicted the humble life on
Peter Island and they effectively sidetracked Andria from her poetry, at
least for several months.
She later told her husband that she felt moved to write about life as she
had known it while spending countless vacations on that island as a
tribute to her people, the Cay People, as they were called. Less than
one year later, on 15th April 2010, she launched her maiden book, ‘The
Way We Were.’ Her detailed account of these happy times, which also
documents her growing up days at lower Main Street, Road Town, was
well embraced by the entire BVI community.
Having successfully stepped out on a sturdy limb of faith, book #2,
‘Sharing the Vision - The Prayers, Promises and Poems of Andria D.
Flax’ became a reality barely six months later, on 7th November, 2010,
when it was launched during the Remembrance Day Service at the St.
George’s Episcopal Church. This collection contains poems touching a
wide range of subjects, including religion, our rich BVI cultural heri-
tage, love and social ills affecting our community, as well as tributes to
individuals who have touched the author’s life in some meaningful
way.
Andria’s passion is reading; her hobbies include sewing, collecting shot
glasses, piggy banks, turtles, BVI memorabilia, CDs of her favourite
music and vintage LP records. She considers herself a top notch cook
and is proud of her disk jockeying skills, gained over a span of four
years when she hosted a radio show on a local radio station.
Andria, who retired after thirty two hectic years in banking, was lured
back to the workplace where she has switched her career field to hu-
man resources. Married to Ellsworth for what she calls thirty wonderful
years, she is the proud mother of Dwayne, Lyle and Chantal, and the
equally proud grandmother of Serenity and little Alex. She resides at
Whispering Winds at Russell Hill, Tortola. - J. Flemming
Local Authors
Spotlight:
Andria Flax
Page 2
Inkberry Tree Cont’d
Because of the spines, great care had to be taken in the cutting, getting the tree into the
house and steadying it in a wooden tub or tin container that once held kerosene oil, lard or
soda biscuits. The tree was grounded in its container with rocks around which crepe paper or
cloth was draped. The entire exercise sometimes occupied several members of the house-
hold, who often recalled the events of the day or even of the last decorating, as they
worked. The bluish shinny berries naturally highlighted the green branches whose spines
were ready holders for little candles.
The Inkberry is a spiny deciduous shrub, usually five to ten feet tall but could also grow into
a twenty foot tree. It grows in dry areas and is characterized by long, slender, stiff, horizon-
tal branches. Leaves vary in shape from elliptic to nearly round to spatulate. It has solitary
white flowers and bears a berry with several rounded seeds in blue or black pulp, which was
also used as ink, hence the name „Inkberry‟. Fishermen carved the rigid stems into fishing
rods from whence that local name also derived. Though not as prolific, the Inkberry still
grows on the slopes of hillsides in dry areas around the Islands.
The Latin name is MADDER FAMILY (RUBIACEAE) Randia aculeata L.
The Century Plant
About the Century Plant
The Century Plant (Agave Americana) is an agave originally from Mexico but is
now cultivated worldwide as an ornamental plant. It has a spreading rosette, about
8 feet of grey-green leaves up to 6 feet long, each with a spiny margin and a heavy
spike at the tip. Its common name derives from its habit of occasionally flowering
only once, but when it does, the spike with a cyme of big yellow flowers, may reach
up to 25 feet in height. The plant dies after flowering, but produces suckers, which
continue its growth. The average life-span is around 25 years.
Historical Uses of the Century Plant
Pre-Columbian Uses: If the flower stem is cut
before flowering, a sweet liquid called aqua miel
("honey water") gathers in the heart of the plant.
This may be fermented to produce the drink
called pulque, which may then be distilled to
produce mescal. The leaves also yield fibres,
known as pita, which are suitable for making
rope, matting, and coarse cloth ‘Corritor’ and
‘Pope’. The latter, because of the towering,
majestic poise of the stalk and flowers. A local
poet immortalized the plant in the poem enti-
tled the Celebrated Pope in which its cultural
uses are described.
Guy Fawkes Night: The dried stalk was tradi-
tionally used in some villages to intensify bon
fires on Guy Fawkes 5th of November Night,
also called ‘Pope Night.’ Villagers would scan
the hillsides for a ‘choice’ plant to cut on the day
before the event. The stalk was planted in the
ground and securely held in place with rocks. It
was then padded out with fire thrash and wood to ensure a lasting, lashing, yelping
blaze when the fires were lit around seven at night to burn ‘Guy Fawkes’. The
celebration attracted quiet competition in some areas as groups went around in-
specting the height and breadth of each bon fire.
Christmas tree: Although the plant was not really used as a Christmas tree in
homes, civic organizations, because of its height and grandeur, decorated the tow-
ering dried stalk for public ceremonies at Christmas time, in the early 1980s.
Store décor: The dried flower stems possess an artistic charm on which stores and
restaurants draped and displayed their wares.
Fence: The sheer volume and strength of the plant make a formidable fence when
planted around the periphery of a land plot used for pasture
or cultivation. Such fences were commonly used up until the 1960s.
- V. Penn Moll
Christmas Symbols Cont’d ARM News, Volume 4, Nos 11 & 12 Page 3
Christmas Serenading and Carolling – An Enduring Virgin Islands’ Tradi-tion
The tradition of serenading and carolling at Christmastime is still strong in the
Virgin Islands. Serenading has its roots in the revelry of African slaves, when
anyone with a musical instrument joined a group to entertain the masters with
singing and playing of made-up songs on Christmas Day. Banjo, guitar, dried
gourds, bongos, drums, washboards, and other improvision, still make alluring
music. Refreshments are still an important part of the tradition and serenaders are
served with Guava-
berry liqueur, sweet-
bread, tart and ham.
‘Good Morning, Good
Morning, Ah come fuh
meh Guavaberry’ and
‘Mama Bake yuh
Johnny Cake Christ-
mas Comin’, are two
popular ditties, which
serenaders include in
their repertoire.
Carolling, a later deri-
vation, is the singing
of religious hymns or
songs associated with
Christmas by choirs
formed from local
churches or groups of
friends, sometimes
accompanied by a
band. The carollers begin before midnight on Christmas Eve or New Year’s Eve
and go from house to house in chosen villages, singing until dawn. They are
usually compensated with donations of money, drinks and food, depending on
the size of the group.
Some band names associated with serenading and carolling over the years are:
The Happy Family Band (Cane Garden Bay); Serenaders; Carrot Bay Carollers
(Carrot Bay); Band of Unity, Band of Love, Joyous Singers (West End); Band of
Faith, (Long Trench); Band of Unity (Fahie Hill, Long Trench); Band of Great
Britain, Band of Love (Myers, Harrigan); Voice of Love (St. Thomas); Women's
and Girls' Leagues; Youth Club; and Maxwell Thomas Christmas Fungi (East
End).
Historical Perspective: Slaves were allowed to celebrate openly and had a chance
to rest and express themselves creatively. In the Caribbean, three days were al-
lowed – Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day. (In some American
States they were
allowed up to 10 days).
At Christmas, the usual meal of salt fish and ground provisions was replaced with
a feast of beef and pork with increased rum rations for making punch.
Celebrations began on Christmas morning when groups went up to the Great
House to sing made-up songs to the Planters. In the evening, dressed
extravagantly and armed with drums and other musical instruments, the slaves
played music and danced on the lawn in front of the Great House.
It was a celebration of identity and artistic expression and a means of social
interaction and a release of stress from discontentment. It was also a nostalgic
reminder of their African heritage and traditional folkways. The revelry
continued until 10. PM; it was in that expression that serenading originated.
Some individuals associated with serenading and carolling in the Virgin
Islands over the years are:
Dennis Callwood, Emma Romney Erickson, Gwennie Romney Richardson,
Daphne Blyden, Rosetta Denville, Marva Benjamin Martin (West End)
Glen Kwabena Davies (St. Thomas/Tortola)
John Ivan Cline, Alphonse Smith (Cane Garden Bay)
Continued on Page 5
Social Media
ARA announces winner of the National Archives vol-unteering Project of the Year 2009
The UK based Archives and Re-cords Association (ARA) has an-nounced the winner of its first Ar-chives Volunteering of the Year Project Award, a national award which highlights volunteering op-portunities, the important roles volunteers play in their local com-munity and the way The Archives works with volunteers.
The winner, the Suffolk Records Office, ‘making a difference volun-teer Cataloguing Backlog Project, involved 69 volunteers helping to catalogue 33 collections including a photographic archive of most par-ishes in Suffolk.
As a result, the backlog of catalogu-ing- one of the major factors pre-venting the use of its holdings has been reduced. It has made collec-tions more accessible for leisure and formal learning, increased public access to collections and improved volunteer procedures and opportu-nities. For example, the volunteers increased their knowledge of the history of Suffolk; they developed their cataloguing and indexing re-search as well as their IT skills. They also made available collections that were of much interest to local com-munities, families and individuals. The project was one selected from 14 applications across the UK, by a panel of judges.
Government Records
Instant History: Labour’s 13 years in power captured on the web
While it may take decades before
many government documents see
the light of day, the UK government
Web Archives already contains
more than a billion documents-
instantly available to the public-
which together comprise a compre-
hensive digital records of Labour’s
time in power.
The Web archive captures some of
the most dramatic moments of
recent times including government
Web sites’ response to national
emergencies such as swine flu and
the heightened security threat
following 2006 plot to bring down
several aircraft in mid-flight.
Since 1997 there has been an explo-
sion in Web usage and govern-
ment began using the new technol-
ogy to distribute more of its infor-
mation online. But there was a
serious risk that this valuable his-
toric record disappearing into
cyber graveyard. The national
Archives started archiving web
sites since 2003 and now trawls
more that 1,500 government Web
sites there times a year, capturing
and preserving their contents for
the digital archive of the future. ..
the records can be viewed at
www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/
web archive.
Cayman Ministry breaks
FOI law
The information commissioner re-
cently made her first ruling over a
government ministry that broke the
Freedom of Information law after it
failed to follow the proper process.
The Ministry of Community Affairs,
Gender and Housing made a decision
not to handle an application made by
CNS about the minister‟s expenses
and benefits as an FOI request and
simply ignored it, replying in an unof-
ficial email some 60 days after the
FOI was submitted. In her ruling
Jennifer Dilbert said the seriousness of
this failing and the way the request
was treated was “of paramount impor-
tance”. She said it represented a total
disregard for the law and processes
and a “trampling of an applicant‟s
rights” to have a request handled
properly.
Find out more at:
http:// www.caymannewsservice.com/
headline-news/2010/11/23/ministry-breaks-foi-law
Professional Press Records Management
ECM + e-government = Power to the People
In the November/December 2009 issue, we informed you of the imminence of the use
of ECM (Enterprise Content Management) in Government. Although in that issue it
was called Electronic Content Management, the concept refers to the use of various
technologies and methods to enable management of Government’s records and
information assets. ECM encompasses the capture, management, storage, preserva-
tion and delivery of content and information necessary for Government to improve
internal operations and customer service.
Capture
Movement of content – paper, electronic or otherwise – into a repository for reuse,
distribution and storage.
Management
Using various tools and techniques to transport content around Government and the
monitoring of those tools and techniques to ensure they are effective at fulfilling
Government’s obligation. Among these tools and techniques are:
Document Management
Records Management
Web Content Management
Collaboration across Government
Workflow and Business Process Management
Storage
Where and how content is stored securely with the means to access it for general
current use.
Preservation
Where and how content of enduring value is stored long term for archival purposes
Delivery
Essentially, getting the right content to the right customer via the right device/
medium.
Along with the passage locally of the Archives and Records Management Act 2010 in
July, Cabinet has agreed in principle to seek consultation that will begin the process
of examination of business processes within Ministries and Departments. This will be
done with a view to acquiring and reengineering many of the technical and non-
technical components necessary to implement ECM. Furthermore, such consultation
will work to help establish an Information and Computer Technologies (ICT) Policy
which will provide a framework for e-government in the territory; a task being coor-
dinated by the Premier’s Office which recently hosted an ICT adviser from the Com-
monwealth Secretariat to assess the territory’s e-government readiness.
What all of this means is that the Virgin Islands Government is moving closer to
putting to better use its investments in education, training and computer and IT
infrastructure. More specifically, it heralds the potential for enhanced inter-
departmental collaboration and cooperation that should allow faster and improved
service delivery by Government to its customers. To those who have been waiting for
this type of change, this is good news!
To ensure success of ECM - and hence e-government - there are four main keys to
helping all stakeholders realise ECM value:
1. Understanding the organizational vision, strategy, and business context of
one’s respective work area.
2. Designing the ECM systems for value, change, and adoption by putting people
first.
3. Implementation with an eye on the overall customer experience.
4. Adaptation, evolution, and support to make adoption pervasive.
More will be said about these in the future, but for now, bear in mind that ECM is
much more than adoption of new technologies to complete business processes.
Rather, ECM is about improvement of services by empowering service providers to deliver those services to their customers more effectively.
Christopher Varlack
Volunteer Today!
www.nationalsarchives.gov.vg
ARM News, Volume 4, Nos 11 & 12 Page 4
Put Your Name in the Annals of History
Do you have on old Virgin Islands book, map, post-card or any other publication about the Virgin Islands that you would like to donate to The Archives? Please contact us! All donors will receive an acknowl-edgement from the Deputy Governor, free copies of our Newsletter, a chance to become a registered friend, your name inscribed in a book plate to be pasted in your donation, forever, and name inscribed in the National Archives Donations Register.
Christmas Symbols Continued from Page 3
Benjamin Callwood, Sonny Scatliffe, Abraham Leonard, Elizabeth Donovan,
Iona Dawson, Egbert Donovan, Velma Chung (Carrot Bay)
Rosanna Smith (Meyers, Harrigan)
Wellington (Tunny) Callwood, Ishma Frett, Christalia Frett, Edwin Scatliffe,
Harry Fahie (Fahie Hill, Long Trench, Belle Vue)
Elton Georges, Elihu Rhymer, Maxwell Thomas (Road Town/ East End)
Artwork by Joseph Hodge
Researched by V. Penn Moll, J. Flemming-Henry and Christopher Varlack
While not yet in force, the passage of
the Archives and Records Management
Act 2010 represents a significant mile-
stone in the field of Information Man-
agement in the territory. It was noted in
our last issue that many people are still
somewhat confused as to what consti-
tutes a “record”. Although the Act
specifies quite clearly what is a record,
there are still specific types that refer to not only the ownership of the record, but the age,
usefulness and value of the record as well.
With regard to ownership the Act mentions private, public and Virgin Islands records. For
more on this see the article in our September/October 2010 issue — Hear Ye! Hear Ye! The
Archives Act, 2010 is Passed . However, with regard to the age of a record, its usefulness
is primarily based on how frequently it is being used for business purposes of the creating
agency. The more use it gets, typically, the more current it is; but as the frequency of its
use diminishes, so does its currency. Therefore, the Act recognizes, that there are current,
semi-current and non-current records. Let‟s take a closer look at what these mean.
Current
The Act does not specifically define the term “current” in the Preliminary section; but does
make reference to “current Virgin Islands Records”. According to the Records Manage-
ment Procedures Manual for the Public Service, “current records” are „records regularly
used for the conduct of the current business of an agency, institution or organization and
which, therefore, continue to be maintained in or near their place of origin.‟ This usually
refers to records that are used daily and remain in the creating office/agency for quick and
easy access. However, unless the business use of those records is for many years, such as
Human Resource records that can span the entire career of an employee working with
Government or some other employer, then it is usually sorted during a records survey or
census and is classified as semi-current.
Semi-Current
Now, the Act does define semi-current records: “records rarely required for the conduct of
current business including files and other assemblies on which action has not been recorded
for at least five years.”
Furthermore, the Act speaks directly to the responsibilities of various individuals with
regard to semi-current records. Sections 19 and 20 inform of the responsibilities of the
Director of the Archives and other responsible officers (the head or acting head of a public
office) with regard to semi-current records. Related to this is where the term “Record
Centre” is defined in the Preliminary Section. The definition mentions that such a centre is
for the storage, maintenance and use of semi-current records pending their ultimate dis-
posal.
It is useful here to recognize one very important thing: DISPOSAL, WITH REGARD TO
RECORDS, DOES NOT MEAN TO DESTROY. The reason for noting this is because
some people don‟t make clear distinctions between the meanings of words or don‟t recog-
nize that within a certain profession/area of practice that words don‟t mean the same as
may be generally thought. In this case, disposal means simply moving from one place to
another. In the absence of a definition that is spelt out in the ARM legislation, this is im-
portant to bear in mind.
Non-Current
If one considers that the term “non-current” is not defined in the Archives and Records
Management Act, then it too becomes important to bear in mind . Based on the information
set out from the preceding 2 definitions, “non-current” should not be too difficult to guess.
“Non-current” records as defined by the Records Management Procedures Manual for the
Virgin Islands Public Service are „records no longer needed for current business.‟ These are
not just records that have been closed, but records that are appraised for enduring and
archival value provided they are not scheduled for destruction.
Basically, this means that non-current records may or may not be actual archival material.
The term “archives” (with a lower case „a‟) in the Archives and Records Management Act
is defined as ‟records, usually, but not necessarily non-current records, of enduring value
selected for permanent preservation.‟ As such, especially in the case of Government Re-
cords, it is important to appraise the value of the records during their life cycle to determine
if they merit transfer to the Archives (with an upper case „A‟ ) Department for permanent
preservation.
Now, it is at the point of being non-current or archival or both that one might expect the
value of a record to diminish totally. However, if after being closed, a record is determined
to have archival value and is preserved within the Archives for posterity, then, although
without currency, it still has value; and the value is usually of a nature for research, histori-
cal analysis and education.
So, does this mean that records, once they lose currency and become archives, lose value?
For some this may be the case - especially for people who care very little about history or
researching the past. But for researchers, historians, academics and others interested in
looking into what was once current, the information becomes more valuable because it
serves as a means of writing books and scholarly articles, producing electronic media
documentaries, settling decades old land disputes, discovering family history and the like.
For many people, especially overseas, these activities are their livelihoods or hobbies.
Usually this is because the laws of those countries provide for such activities and the heri-
tage sectors of society are supported by legislation and policies that place priority on the
preservation of records with enduring value.
Fortunately, for a growing number of Virgin Islanders, research is becoming more a way of
life, and will continue to do so because national attention has been given to the importance
of records throughout their lifecycle. By defining in a legal context when records are cur-
rent, semi-current and non-current, the Archives and Records Management Act gives better
guidance to those responsible for the care of records. More than that, it establishes parame-
ters that Government, the private sector and private individuals can use to ensure that the
heritage and culture of the territory are given greater priority since there is now a territorial
standard, amongst others, that gives what many look at as just dusty old files fit only to be
cast aside, a chance to live on and inform future generations what was done today.
- Christopher Varlack
Page 5 ARM News, Volume 4, Nos 11 & 12
Highlights:
Archives and Records Management Act 2010 -
Records Currency and Value
Just off the press!!
The 2011 Calendar of Virgin Islands Architecture Published by the Friends of the National Archives The photographs illustrated in the calendar take us back to the time
when the islands still had many of the original charms like horse-back
riding, horse-drawn carts, native sloops, immaculate beaches, un-
spoilt scenery, a thriving agricultural economy and a vivid architec-
ture of balconies, verandahs, fretwork and sober colours.
It is an invaluable cultural and historical document and it is attractive
designed as well . It will make
an inexpensive present for
friends and family.
Available at $10.00 from the
Archives and Records Man-
agement Unit and the 1780
Sugar Works Estate Museum.
Get your copy today!
Vision Statement
Inspired by the need of all Virgin Islanders to appreci-ate the vital role of records in a democratic society, the National Archives and Records Management Unit seeks to use traditional and modern technologies, along with cooperative partnerships between the Gov-ernment, private sector and wider community, to lead and transform information management so that the history, heritage and culture of the Virgin Islands come alive and grow in importance, relevance and accessi-biity for present and future generations.
Win a National Archives Prize!
Tell us the story surrounding the date of any important event which occurred in the Virgin Islands before 2000. If it is not already in our Today in Virgin Islands History database it will be entered for the Today in Virgin Islands History radio pro-gramme, and you will win a National Archives prize, which will be announced in the media. Call us today at telephone 468-3701 ext 3044, 2562, 2365, or 3092 or email your story to [email protected] .
Friends are Invaluable - Become a Friend of the Archives today!
Are you part of an Organisation which could help us obtain funding to assist the building of the Archives Repository and Records Centre? Or do you know of any funding agency which can assist the building project? We need all the help we could get. Become a Friend today! Why not enroll now? The objective of the Friends is: To pro-vide support for the National Archives as required. Contact: The National Archives Phone: 284-494-3701 Membership Secretary Fax: 284-468-2582 Friends of the National Archives Email: [email protected] c/o Deputy Governor’s Office Road Town, Tortola
Archives and Records
Management Unit
Deputy Governor’s Office
Upstairs Burhym (Civil
Registry) Building 49 de Castro Street,
Road Town, Tortola, VG1110
Tele: 1 284 468 2365
Fax 468 2582 Email: [email protected]
www.nationalarchives.gov.vg
www.dgo.gov.vg
Editor Verna Penn Moll Contributors Christopher Varlack Jennifer Flemming-Henry Renee Farrington -Pickering